Sun, 19 Oct 2025

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 Protests and food poisonings test Indonesian president's first year in office

Prabowo Subianto's promises of dynamic economic growth and social change have faced major challenges.
Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has seen his first year in office marred by widespread protests against rising living costs, corruption, and inequality. The demonstrations, which resulted in 10 deaths, were sparked by the government's decision to increase perks for politicians. The free school meals program, a flagship initiative of Prabowo's agenda, has been criticized for its ineffectiveness due to mass food poisonings that have left over 9,000 children ill since January. Critics argue that the program is straining public resources and racking up debt, while also highlighting broader issues in public spending and oversight. Indonesia's economy, which has seen steady growth of around 5% in recent years, is facing pressure from slowing global demand, rising living costs, and competition from regional neighbors like Vietnam and Malaysia. The country's export to the US is being hit by a trade war with tariffs as high as 19%. The government's plans for ambitious economic growth of 8% by 2029 have been questioned by experts, who warn that achieving such growth will require careful management of public finances and foreign investment. Key issues facing Indonesia:
* Free school meals program criticized for ineffectiveness and mass food poisonings
* Widespread protests against rising living costs, corruption, and inequality
* Economic challenges due to slowing global demand, rising living costs, and competition from regional neighbors
* Trade war with US resulting in high tariffs on exports
* Difficulty attracting foreign investment due to red tape and cost of doing business
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